New Game/Trail Camera
Having fun with a new camera I got for myself in December.
Coon and opossum
That's really cool! What camera did you get?
What are you using for a lure? I hope you're not feeding those guys--feeding predators and scavengers is generally a bad idea (and illegal in many places).
I'm using a digital Bushnell with infra red light source. Sold at wallyworld $95. It's my second one.....1st one got submerged during flood water conditions that devasted the dens and food sources for many of the animals in the surrounding 4 counties. The camera was not water proof as stated ;-) Yes, I'm feeding the surviving animals and feel good about it.
I fed them high quality Fancey Feast food and then recycled the cans into Fancee Feest stoves ;-) It's a animaltarian project ;-).
I was hoping to attract bobcats if there were any in the area but none were to be seen on camera.
I have more videos and some photos to post as time permits.
"Sarcasm the elf" thanks for the photos. Yes, the trail camera is a lot of fun. One can learn a lot about animal behavior by observing them in their natural habitat. The backpacker with kilt is an attractant :-) The bobcat is what I want on video.....I'll get one this spring ;-)
Last edited by zelph; 02-18-2016 at 10:56.
As a professional wildlife biologist, I can say that you really shouldn't be feeding predators and scavengers. Animals that learn positive associations with human scents or things like cat food are the ones that end up attacking people or pets, which ends up badly for both the wild animals and the humans. Also, feeding creates unnaturally high densities of predators/scavengers that can result in disease transmission. I don't know about where you live, but in a lot of places it's illegal to feed predators like raccoons and bobcats for these reasons.
Frankly, if you go on line, you can find a million better pictures and videos of wildlife than the ones you posted here. If you want to attract animals to your camera, you can try baiting with smelly oils (just a few drops on the ground--no actual food for the animals). If you just want to know what's around your area, learn how to identify tracks. I took a mammal tracking course in college and use it every time I go out. In a short walk, I can often tell more about what mammals are around than you could learn in a month of camera work.
If you really want to keep using the camera, just find some trails that animals are using. Then you won't even need bait. I've seen really nice photos of mountain lions and bobcats that were taken without any bait at all--the camera was just in the right place.
Long story short.........had been hearing an animal almost every evening for about 2 months Was told it was a fox. It's bark was "gruntal" sounding, hard to imagine a fox sounding like that so bought the camera to search it out. 1st 2 days I tried electronic calling device to get it on video....no such luck. Used cat food and it came to dinner within an hour. I have photos of 2 fox at a site.
I fully understand why not to feed the bears, cougar and other predators.
The fox, coons and bobcats clean up after the humans after they leave their campground campsites. I had been volunteering at a campground when I did the videos. Was there for the fall and winter months and I'm now back in the upper Midwest. Will now use only well used trails for setting up the camera :-)
I think my videos are ok for a beginner and I recommend that others join in the fun.
Where I live there are many feral cats. I'd like to see more coyotes and bobcats around to thin the cat herd LOL
I used the food as an attractant, it worked beyond measure, I ventured, I gained ;-)
mini 2 fox.JPGmini deer photo.JPG
fast moving buck, watch it pass from left to right and also see the doe in lower right corner.
Last edited by zelph; 02-21-2016 at 12:24.
I recomend following BERGUNDWALD on instagram. always posting awesome trail cam finds
The following thread is another good one to check out:
KAT'S MOUNTAIN LION PHOTOS (TRAIL CAMERA PHOTOGRAPHY)
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